Page 6 - Autumn 2024

Industry News
FURTHER
DEVELOPMENTS
IN ROBOTICS
First UK Robotics and
Autonomous Systems Cluster
The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)
and the University of Birmingham have
together established Britain’s first robotics
and autonomous systems (RAS) ‘cluster’ in
the West Midlands with the objective of
connecting relevant parties such as suppliers,
integrators, users, universities and local
authorities with the region’s two High Value
Manufacturing Catapult Centres to improve
the uptake of RAS by British industry.
The concept follows benchmarking around the
Danish city of Odense, which has helped to turn
Denmark into one of the world’s leading nations
for robot adoption. Denmark is now ranked
twelfth in the world for robot density, as against
the UK at 25th. Denmark currently has over 300
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robotic companies employing 8,500 people with
a combined turnover of 2.4 million euros and a
pipeline of start-ups and skilled personnel which
is feeding the robotics sector.
Chief Automation Officer for the Manufacturing
Technology Centre, Professor Mike Wilson, states:
“ Creating the first UK Robotics and Autonomous
Systems regional cluster will strengthen the
presence of crucial technology and support
growth potential.
The work we are doing with the University of
Birmingham will attract other related businesses
as well as universities to engage and enthuse
younger generations, supporting the deployment
of RAS and raising the UK’s global rankings in
robot use.”
Reference: ‘West Midlands Robotics “Cluster” could drive UK
Automation Boom’, Drives and Controls, July/August 2024, p.13.
Robotic System overcomes
Parts-feeding Challenges
Two Italian companies have devised a robotic
parts-feeding system to address the common
challenges of feeding and sorting. The Infinifeed
system, designed by Doma Automation and
integrated by Tera Automation, uses machine
vision to manage the feeding process,
eliminating the need for multiple feeders for
different components or complex programming
for the handling of diverse shapes.
Operation is based on a pair of parallel belt
conveyors that move in opposite directions with
items moving from one belt to the other under
the influence of gravity. Users capture images of
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a longer working envelope, can grab it for further
processing.
This Kuka robot moves the part in front of a
second image processing system where a
camera captures images of the applied glue.
These are then analysed to ensure that the glue
is evenly distributed and that it is in a precise
items to be handled, mark gripping points and
pattern as specified by Thales engineers.
send the information to the vision system which The OSR is then aligned precisely with the robot
then instructs a robot as to which items to pick
up. Precision feeding ensures consistent and arm as a first step to placing it in the correct
accurate placement of parts while high-speed location on the satellite panel. A third high-
operation improves throughput and reduces resolution camera now takes images of the OSR,
cycle times. which is aligned using algorithms that determine
a 3D transformation between the coordinates of
The robots are Scarva robots from Shibaura
the OSR corners and the coordinate system of the
Machines’ THE Series and the system has
vacuum gripper that is holding the OSR.
magnetic removable shells and sides to simplify
cleaning and maintenance.
The system is said to ‘represent the next step in
industrial parts feeding’.
Reference: Drives and Controls, July/August 2024, p.22.
Robotic Cell protects Satellites
from Solar Radiation
A French robotics company has developed
a robotic cell that places thousands of tiny
reflectors with an accuracy of 0.2mm onto large
panels that are used to protect satellites from
solar radiation.
Akeoplus has developed the system for
aerospace manufacturer Thales Alenia Space to
automate the placement and bonding of optical
solar reflectors onto protective panels measuring
up to 5m x 3m. These act as outer walls fitted with
up to 7,000 reflectors, each measuring around The corners of the OSR are determined by
40mm x 40mm. the intersection of its edges and from this a
coordinate system can be defined where the
Previously the optical solar reflectors (OSRs) were
corner of the OSR is centred and aligned with
mounted by hand by two or more people lying
its edges. The coordinate system of the robot
on mats using glue. Now, two robots are used, the
effector is determined by hand-eye calibration of
first a small one that takes an OSR from a tray and
places it onto a vacuum backlight under a camera the robot.
which takes a picture. This is then inspected by As the 2.4 metre-long robot arm is not 100 per
MVTec’s Halcon machine vision software for breaks cent accurate, Akeoplus has developed an
and scratches. A ‘shape matching’ technique iterative servoing process that allows the robot to
is then used to determine the exact position mount the OSR precisely on the 18 square metre
of the OSR and checks that its size and shape panel.
corresponds to the model in the design plan.
It is important to determine the position of every The Cycle time for gluing and positioning of the
reflector accurately because the robot grips OSRs is now under 45 seconds and a large panel
each one slightly differently. It is moved to the can now be covered with solar reflectors in five
next production step with an accuracy of around days by one employee instead of seven days by
two employees.
0.2mm. If the component is fine then it is placed
under a glue dispensing nozzle. Once the glue
[ Reference: ‘Reflecting the Challenges of protecting Satellites’, Drives
has been applied the robot picks up the OSR and Controls, July/August 2024, p.34 ]
again and places it where the second robot, with
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